Prescription Drug Abuse Kills Gulfport Man

A combination of methodone and xanax killed him over the weekend. It's the fifth overdose death in Harrison County in the past week.

The young man's mother wants to warn other families their children may be headed for a similar fate.

Prescription drug abuse created a split personality in Jared Bishop. At times, he was a loving, smiling son, brother and father. His mother says the drugs, strong prescription pain killers and muscle relaxers, could turn Jared into an angry mess.

"My son could look you dead in the face and lie and you wouldn't know. So they learn to lie, they learn to steal and it's all because of these drugs," said Susan Bishop.

Jared's family spent Monday afternoon preparing a picture collage for his funeral service. They prefer to remember the pleasant Jared. He was the typical good kid who later got wrapped in a death grip of drug abuse.

"But then when he was taking the pills he was sleepy all the time or grumpy or you'd say what's the matter with your eyes? And he'd say there's nothing wrong. His eyes would be like pinpoints and glazed," his mother said.

A lethal mix of methadone and xanax killed Jared Bishop. His family found much evidence of his prescription drug addiction. An out of state doctor wrote prescriptions in his name. Local pharmacies filled the orders.

"Then sometimes you'd confront him and he'd just get real angry and lash out at us, and his friends, his girlfriend and stuff. So, it's just a different personality," she explained.

"And we told Jared, you've got that baby to live for. He loved her. He would play with her. He was a good daddy. When he was all right," said Susan Biship.

Although it's now too late for Jared, his grieving mother wants his friends to pay attention.

"I'm hoping, hoping, hoping they'll all come down and see Jared. I told my preacher, I said we should put a mirror in there and let them see. This is gonna be you next."

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File). FILE - In this May 22, 2018 file photo, actor Morgan Freeman attends the 2018 PEN Literary Gala in New York. Freeman is apologizing to anyone who may have felt “uncomfortable or disrespected” by his behavior....

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>